Utility drive



261W 6 BY May 15, 1928. 1,669,560

w. H. H1ME S UTILITY DRIVE Filed Feb. 18, 1925 WITNESSES: INVENTOR ATTORN EY Patented May 15, 1928.

A UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER H. ,HIMES, or PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR 'ro' WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION or PENNSYLVANIA.

UTILITY DRIVE.

Application filed February This invention relates to power drivesand more particularly to power drives for implements.

One object of the invention, generally stated, is the provision of a power drive for implements that shall be simple and efficient in operation and readily and economi- Cally manufactured.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide for the automatic withdrawal of the drive members from a position of use when released by the operator and the retention of the members in a predetermined position when not in use.

.Another object of the invention is the control of the driving motor by the hand that guides the implement during operation.

A further object of the invention is to effect the reduction of the force tending to retain the driving member in a predetermined position as the drive is moved toward a position of use. p

It is also an object of theinvention to provide a power drive that will permit the movement of the implements in a plurality of planes and their being disposed in substantially any position.

' Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious, and in part appear hereinafter. The invention, accordingly, is disclosed in the embodiment thereof shown in the accompanying drawing and comprises the features of construction, combination of ele monts and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a fullunderstanding of the nature and objects of the invent-ion, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the ac companying drawing, in which;

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a power drive, parts being broken away to show the construction which is in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a section along the line IIII of Fig. 1 showing a train of gears that may be used in the power drive.

' Fig. 3 'is a side elevation of a modified form of the power drive.

Fig. 1 is a view of a modification of the drive shaft showing a construction with rigid and flexible sections.

Figs. and 6 are side views of implements 18, 1925. Serial No. 9,975.

that may be attached to the power drive for operation.

Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the mounting shown in Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawing, 10 designates the motor of the power drive. As will be readily understood, motors of many different types maybe used and the selection, to some extent, will depend on the work to be performed.

In the interest of efiicieney in power transmission, it is desirable that the drive be adapted to permit the use of a straight drive shaft between the motor and the various implements. In order to provide for proper manipulation of the different implements when a straight shaft is used, the motor is mounted for movement in substantially every direction. However, it is to be under stood that while a straight, rigid shaft is desirable, a flexible shaft or a drive shaft consisting of rigid and flexible sections may be used successfully.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 1, the motor mounting includes a bracket 14 adapted for attachment to the wall 11 in any suitable manner, such, for example, as by the use of screws 15. As will be noted, the bracket 14 is provided with vertically-spaced outwardly-extending arms in which set screws 18 are adjustably mounted in alinement to engage in bearings formed in opposite ends of a slotted block 16. In this manner, the block 16 may be mounted to rotate freely about a vertical axis.

A motor supporting arm 17, which forked at both ends, is pivotally connected to the block 16 by means of a horizontally extending pin 19. In attaching the forked end of the arm, the prongs may be placed either inside or outside of the spaced portions of the slotted block. Since the arm 17 is attached to the block 16 in a manner to permit its oscillation about the axis of the pin 19, the arm may be moved freely in a plurality of vertical and horizontal planes.

In order to retain the arm 17 in a raised position out of the way of an operator, an extensible spring 22 is connected between a pin 23 extending through the block 16 and another pin 21 extending between depending lugs 20 provided on the prongs of the forked end of the arm 17. As shown in Fig. 1, when the spring 22 is contracted, it re} tains thela'rm in the" position indicated by dotted lines. It will be observed that the lugs 20 are interstices-r tlie en'd of the arrn' and that when the arm is" drawn downward to the" train of gears: may be used to connect the shaft 25 to the motor shaft. I

In this particular construction, an internal gear 28' is'attached' to themotorshaft and meshes with a plurality of gear wheels 29 r'otatably mounted on a frame 30 fixed to thegear casing. The gear wheels 29 mesh with a gear wheel31 attached to the upper end of the shaft 25, thereby-establishing a connection between the motor shaft 24: and the shaft 25. p

In order to permit oscillation of the shaft 25 to facilitatethe manipulation of the implements, the motor 10 is disposed in gimbal rings, shown generally at 32. The forked'end 33 of the arm 17 constitutes the outside member of. the gimbal ring mounting. provided for the motor.

The other member of the gimbal ring mounting, a ring 34, .is pivotally mounted between the arms of the forked end 33. Pins 35narefmou-nted in the ring. 34 and disposeda'long a line extending atright-angles to, and intersecting the pivotal axis of the ring. These pins engagein bearings provided in the motor casing.

In this manner, the motor is mounted to permit oscillation of the shaft 25 in aplurality of planes. Since the arm: 17 may be moved freely in a plurality of horizontal and vertical planesand theshaft 25 oscillated in every direction, implements at tached to the shaft in any suitable manner may be manipulated to operate in many dif- .ferent positions. 1

, Implements, such as the brush 36 and heater 37, shown in Figs. 5 and 6, respectively, may be attachedto the shaft 25 in any suitable manner, such,' for example, as by threading the lower end of theshaft 25 and providingin eachi-mplement a threaded opening, for the reception of the-threaded end of the shaft. In order to prevent the shaft from becoming disengaged from an implement during operation,- if a threaded connection is provided, the shaft may be threaded opposite to the direction of rot-ation during operation, 7

Q As shown in Figs. 1 and 4, a hand piece 38 is mounted on the shaft casing, thereby providing means for the manipulation of the implements; Sinc in-th operation of a device of this kind; it-isdesirable that the operator have one hand free to hold or move areal-sew be operated upon, a switch 39 for control-lingthe operation of the motor 10 is disposed in the hand piece in a convenient place to permit its operation'by the hand that guides the implements j p hen a heater is used for mixing a batte'r or the like, a control switch, disposed for operation at will, permits the immersion of thebea-ter before the motor is set in operation. In this manner, the splashing of batters and other mixtures is prevented.

- In case the power drive is to be used for the performance of polishing operations or the like, in which the implement in use is held in one particular position for a considerable period of time, it is desirable that some means be provided for locking the switch 39 .elosed'. Accordingly, a band 40, disposed tofit overthe switch39 to lock it closed, is slidably mounted on the handpiece 38. I

The supply. of electric energy to the motor 10 may be effected by the useof flexible conductors 13 connected to any suitable source of supply. In order to support the conductors out of the way of the may be attached to the arm 17.

In some cases, the movement of themotor 10, permitted by the mounting described, is insufficient to meet all requirementsand a modification, such as shown in Fig. 3,. is provided. As will be observed, this modifioperator, they cation includes a carriage s1 attached to the bracket 1-1 by means of a plurality of boltslQ, v

A track, adapted to receive the carriage 41, is attached to the wallll bymeans of screws 15. It will be-readily understood that the track may be disposed so as to permit the projection of the carriage onto it from either end. hen the carriage is mounted on the track, it may be moved to anyv desired position, thereby increasing the range of movement of the implements. The other parts of the device are the same as those shown in Fig. land it is therefore believed unnecessary to repeat their description in connection with this figure of the drawings.

A rigid shaft is sometimes found to be unsatisfactory in performing diflicult operations, such as the cleaning of inaccessible parts of containers. Accordingly, a flexible shaft 45, such as shown. in, Fig. l, may be provided and adapted for attachment to the shaft 25 in the same manner as the implements. The end of thefiexible shaft 45 is adapted for the reception of implements in the same manner as the shaft 25 When a lil flexible shaft of this type is provided, a bracket may be used for maintaining the shaft 25 in a vertical position, as shown in F ig. 4.

In operation, the selected implement is attached to the shaft 25. Then the operator grips the hand-piece 38 and draws the motor downward to the desired position:

It will be observed that as the arm 17 moves downward from a horizontal position, the axis of the pin 21 travels toward a line through the pins 19 and 23. Conse quently, the effect of the spring 22 gradually decreases until the motor reaches its final position. Thus, the force required to retain the motor in a position for use is small.

After the implement has been set in position for operation, the motor switch 39 is closed by the hand gripping the handpiece and the implement set in operation. The provision of a manually operable switch in the hand-piece facilitates the control of the implement.

It will be readily understood that the implements may be driven at any desired speed by the selection of the proper train of gears. In order to meet certain requirements, a train of gears provided with a. gear shift for varying the speed might be introduced. However, for ordinary purposes, a single train of reduction gears may be used.

The construction shown in Fig. 3 is usually provided Where it is desired to operate at different places on a table or bench on which it is inconvenient to move the articles to be operated upon. when a construction of this type is provided, the carriage 41 may be shifted along the track 43 to first position the motor and then the drive may be operated in the manner described above.

\Vhen the operator has finished with the implement, he releases the hand piece and the spring switch 39 functions to interrupt the motor circuit. The spring 22 raises the arm 17 and, therefore, the motor 10 to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 and retains the motor in its raised position out of the way of the operator.

lVlien a flexible shaft, such as shown in Fig. a, is used, the rigid portion of the shaft is fixed in a bracket such as 46. The implement attached to the flexible shaft may then be manipulated as desired.

Since certain changes may be made in the above construction and different embodi ments of the invention may be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings, shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is;

1. In combination, a motor, a track adapted to be attached to any support, a carriage movably mounted on the track, an arm disposed on said carriage to permit oscillation about a plurality of axes, gimbal rings adapted to support said motor carried by said arm, :1 depending drive shaftconnected to' the motor and means carried by said drive shaft for receiving kitchen implements.

2. In combination, a motor, a track adapted to be attached to any support, a carriage movably mounted on the track, an arm disposed on said carriage to permit oscillation about a plurality of axes, gimbal rings adapted to support said motor carried by said arm, a depending drive shaft connected to the motor and means carried by said drive shaft for receiving kitchen implements, means cooperative with said arm to retain said motor in a raised position when not in use.

3. In combination, a motor, a track adapted to be attached to any support, a carriage movably mounted on the track, an arm disposed on said carriage to permit oscillation about a plurality of axes, gimbal rings adapted to support said motor carried by said arm, a depending drive shaft connected to the motor, means carried by said drive shaft for receiving kitchen implements, and

hand-piece provided on said shaft Whereby said implements may be manipulated.

4;. In combination, a motor, a track adapted to be attached to any support, a carriage movably mounted on the track, an arm disposed on said carriage to permit oscillation about a plurality of axes, gimbal rings adaptedto support said motor carried by said arm, a depending drive shaft connected to the motor, means carried by said drive shaft for receiving kitchen implements, a hand-piece provided on said shaft whereby said implements may be manipulated, and a motor switch disposed for operation by the hand that grips the hand piece.

5. In combination, a motor, a track adapted to be attached to any support, a carriage movably mounted on the track, an arm disposed on said carriage to permit oscillation about a plurality of axes, gimbal rings adapted to support said motor carried by said arm, a depending drive shaft connected to the motor, means carried by said drive shaft for receiving kitchen implements, a hand-piece provided on said shaft whereby said implements may be manipulated, a inotor switch disposed for operation by the hand that grips the hand-piece, and means adapted to lock the switch closed.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 9th day of February 1925,

WALTER H. HIMES. 

